|Resolve Nile water row-Business Daily: -

The ancient Egyptian civilisation was, not unlike the rest, anchored on the waters of a major river—the Nile in this case.

A strong agriculture economy leveraged some of the most significant construction and scholarly works known to man thanks to the river that originates in the East African region.

Over time, Egypt and their colonial overlords who also held sway in neighbouring Sudan came to assume an imperious stance over the Nile waters.

Even the ascension of the revolutionary regime of the Gamal Abdul Nasser with its strong emphasis on decolonisation did not see it fit to change the 1929 colonial treaty on the Nile.

In short, Egyptian stand on the sharing and control of the Nile waters has been imperialistic and patronising.

With the support of Sudan, it has opposed any attempt at amending the Nile Treaty.

To an extent, that is understandable as the country’s lifeline is the river.

But it should put into consideration the kind of economic and demographic developments that have taken place upstream over the decades, nay centuries, it has enjoyed unchallenged control of the Nile waters.

Things are even probable to change more as Southern Sudan, until recently a neglected mass of poverty, embarks on restarting the development process so cruelly halted by the Khartoum regime since the British left the black south to the tender mercies of the Arab overlords.

The rest of the region—Uganda, Ethiopia, Kenya, Burundi, Congo and Rwanda—are also experiencing economic and income growths meaning they have to tap the waters for electricity and food production.

That is why last year they threw their weight behind the Co-operative Framework Agreement (CFA) on the sharing and control of the waters.

As expected, the then Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak in a jingoistic response denounced the new pact as his then water and irrigation minister Mohamed Allam declared it “an act of war.”

The Egyptians want further negotiations. Fortunately, the East African Community presidents have called for more talks to settle the matter.

While Egypt may be in political chaos, it is important to settle the issue fairly and amicably for the benefit of all countries.

This is because the CFA will qualify as an international treaty once the national parliaments ratify the same.